Spirit Juice is proud to present a documentary on the incredible career and inspiring life of Gil Hodges, a baseball legend who was one of the greatest first basemen to play the game. He helped win world championships as a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and also as manager of the 1969 New York “Miracle Mets.” But despite all his impressive baseball statistics, accolades, and humble example of leadership off the field, Gil Hodges is not enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Most people know that priests are a vital part of the Catholic Church, but many don’t realize how much they do for their parish. This video tells the story of how Fr. Anthony Bus saved St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish from the brink of closure. A story of how he kept going forward in the name and grace of our Lady, the Virgin Mary, her Son, and ultimately God to restore the parish and turn it into a sanctuary despite all the struggles. It’s also the story of his journey in bringing peace and salvation to the people and bringing people to know God, to love God, and to serve God in the midst of all chaos in this difficult time in the world.

While some people say that technology doesn’t work well with our mission as Catholics, we believe that like any other saint or any person who lives a religious life, we can always use the tools available to us in our time, to evangelize. In our modern time, we are so blessed to have these tools that connects us in a way the we’ve never been connected before. Whatever medium or social media platform we use, we are always called to be the light of Christ in our day-to-day life. Whatever our job or our vocation is, social media is a way for us to easily share our faith with others and connect in a more intimate way with other Catholics. Meanwhile, it’s also always exciting to see the way that different Catholics all across the globe have answered that call, to bring the beauty and the truth to the platform.

“Being in love first moved them to promise fidelity. This quieter love enables them to keep the promise.” These words by C.S. Lewis inspired our short film “This Quiet Love”, an alternate take on the cliché characterization of love on Valentine’s Day. You won’t find any heart-shaped boxes of candy or Hallmark cards here, only the true and enduring love between two people in the most mundane of ways in everyday life. Be faithful, generous, and thoughtful to those you love, no matter the date on the calendar.

Our documentary sheds light on one story of the Black Catholic experience, unknown to many in our church. An undertaking that, although unique, is relatable to the Black Catholic (specifically African-American Catholic) throughout America. This film highlights the joy, pain, and struggles faced in the Black Catholic community, specifically in the Tremé portion of New Orleans, Louisiana. Through a series of interviews, the unique struggle found in youth and young adult ministry within the Black Catholic community is brought to the forefront. Whether through “America’s Original Sin”, classism, or various other social ills; we are witnessing this unique expression of our Catholic faith disappearing before our eyes.

Photographer Kristyn Brown was born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over time, she began shooting professionally in Los Angeles, California. After six years on the west coast, Kristyn and her family moved back to Philadelphia, where she started The Saints Project – A Modern Portrayal of Catholic Saints. In 2015, she was contacted by The World Meeting of Families to create custom banners for the youth congress portion of the event. Since then, she has created over 80 images of Saints and the Holy Family in modern times.

The power of prayer is just that: power, the power of God, who hears all of us when we pray, and every prayer is answered. The rosary is the story of Jesus, the Son of God, from His Nativity to His Crucifixion to His Ascension into Heaven. Our Mother Mary requests that we pray the rosary daily. Many think they have no time to pray, and know nothing about the rosary; but this app makes it easier to pray anywhere at any time.

After 27 years as the head football coach at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Bruce Scifres retired from coaching in the spring of 2017 to become the Executive Director of the CYO of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Bruce believes that, now more than ever, coaches are a huge key to the development of our youth and, in turn, play a substantial role in the future of our country. Because of this, he is extremely passionate about doing all he can to help build “transformational” coaches who will make a real impact in the lives of the youth. The saying “a good coach improves a player’s game; a great coach improves a player’s life” describes Bruce’s mantra.

The incredible story of John Verly, a man who lost his Catholic way, who overcame a long and arduous battle with cancer. Through this unfortunate process, Verly learned to believe in the power of faith once more. An amazing leap of faith and courageous perseverance brought him back to the Church and Jesus Christ.